Bicycle attachment.



Patented .Ian. 2|, I902.

A. P. GI' IRISTIANSEN. BICYCLE ATTACHMENT.

(Applicltion flld Eu. 2, 1901.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()EEICE.

ANDREW PETER CHRISTIANSEN, OF GARDNERVILLE, NEVADA.

BICYCLE ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,597, dated January21, 1902.

Application filed March 2, 1901. Serial No- 52,080. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ANDREW PETER CHRIS- TIANSEN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Gardner-ville, in the county of Douglas and State ofNevada, have invented a new and useful Bicycle Attachment, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in bicycle attachments; and theobject is 'to provide a simple and effective construction which may bereadily applied to any bicycle for holding the front wheel normally inline with the frame of the machine, so that twisting thereof uponcontact with an obstruction will be obviated and also by the use ofwhich the handling of the bicycle will be facilitated, the wheel beingnormally held from turning, whereby the machine may be easily rolled byhand when the wheelman is walking and readily supported in uprightposition without danger of falling, as would be the case were the frontwheel free to turn.

A further object is to provide a construction for the above-nam edpurpose which while it will normally hold the wheel in alinement withthe frame of a bicycle will also permit of the turning of the wheel forsteering the bicycle and at the same time will automatically return itto its normal position when released.

With these objects in view the invention consists in the novel featuresof construction hereinafter fully described, particularly pointed out inthe claims, and clearly illustrated by the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 is a perspective view of an attachment embodying myinvention, the same being shown in operative position upon a bicycle;Fig. 2, a top plan View of the same; Fig. 3, a transverse sectionshowing the adj ustment for the springs, and Fig. 4: is a similar viewshowing a slightly-modified arrangement for adjusting the tension of thejaws.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, Adesignates a collar to be applied to the stem of the handle-bar, saidcollar being split at one side and made thin at its opposite side,whereby it may be separated far enough to be removed from and positionedupon the stem. Said bar is held securely in position by a bolt B,extending through screw-threaded perforations in en largements C, formedat the upper edges of the collar near its split side. Said collar isformed on opposite sides with depressions or recesses D.

E and F designate two sections of a sepa rable clasp which embraces theupper bar of the bicycle-frame at a point adjacent to the steering-head,each of said sections being formed with perforated ears G.

Spring-jaws H are provided for engaging in the recesses or depressions Dof collar A and holding the front wheel in alinement with the frame,said jaws being formed in the present instance of a single piece of wirehaving at the inner ends of the jaws convolutions I and with aconnecting portion K, which is formed with a central spring-loop K toembrace the upper bar of the frame rearward of the clasp before referredto. These jaws are also formed in front of the convolutions .withdownwardly eXtending arms L, which'are screw-threaded on their lowerends and formed adjacent to said screw-threaded portions with shouldersM. These screwthreaded ends extend through the perforationsof theclasp-sections E and F and receive nuts N, whereby the sections aresecurely held together and the jaws supported intermediately of theirends. Secured at their outer ends to arms L at their upper ends arecoiled springs O, which springs extend inwardly transversely of the jawsand are positioned upon stems P,which stems are headed at their outerends to prevent their pulling through the springs and are oppositelyscrewthreaded. Receiving the inner ends of the stemsis acentrally-disposed adjusting-nut Q, provided with a milled fingerportion Q. When said nut is rotated, the screws are moved eitherinwardly or outwardly, according to the direct-ion of the rotation ofvthe nut, and the springs are adjusted to vary the tension upon the jaws,whereby the pressure of the latter upon opposite sides of the handlebarstem is varied.

It will be understood that the jaws. will be adjusted so as to besuiilciently yielding to permit the handlebars to be moved in order tosteer the bicycle and at the same time to exert a sufficient pressure toprevent the tendency of the wheel to turn when contacting with anobstacle or when being wheeled by hand or when itis desired to supportthe same in upright position. The tension of the small springs, however,may be varied, so that the pressure of the jaws may be increased torender the handle-bar substantially rigid.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a slightly-modified arrangement of the tensiondevice, which consists of making the adjusting-nut with screwthreadedstems projecting from either side thereof and engaging nuts to which oneend of the springs are fastened, the opposite ends of the spring beingfastened to the arms L, as before stated.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. An attachment for bicycles comprising jaws adapted to engage onopposite sides of the handle-bar stem, coiled springs connected at theirouter ends to the said jaws, stems upon which said springs arepositioned, said stems having headed outer ends and oppositely-threadedinner ends, an adjusting-nut receiving the threaded ends of the stems,and means for attaching the device to the frame of a bicycle,substantially as described.

2. An attachment for bicycles comprising a pair of spring-jaws to engageon opposite 1 sides of the handle-bar stem, said jaws formedbicycle-frame, and having downwardly-extending arms intermediately oftheir ends,

the ends of which are screw-threaded, a separable clasp to be positionedupon the bar of 1 the bicycle-frame having the sections thereof formedwith perforated ears through which 40 tially as described.

5. An attachment for bicycles comprising a pair of yieldable jawsarranged to engage opposite sides of the handle-bar stem, a connectionfor uniting the jaws, having a loop to engage the framing of thebicycle, and arms depending from thejaws constitutinga means whereby theattachment can be secured to the framework of a bicycle, substantiallyas described.

t. An attachment for bicycles comprising a pair of yieldable jawsarranged to engage opposite sides of the handle-bar stem, a connectionfor uniting the jaws, having a loop to engage the framing of thebicycle, and arms depending from thejaws constitutinga means whereby theattachment can be secured to the framework of a bicycle, the whole beingmade of wire in one piece, substantially as described.

5. An attachment for bicycles comprising a pair of jaws arranged toengage opposite sides of the handle-bar stem, convolutions at the rearof the jaws, a transverse member uniting the convolutions having a loop,said loop and convolutions serving to unite the jaws and arms dependingfrom the jaws,the whole being made of wire, substantially as described.

ANDREW PETER CllRIS'lIANSEN.

Witnesses:

i JARVIS, .i. HARRIS.

